Granny Square

I really thought I couldn't do if but I am learning to never say never. So here is it the start of my first crochet blanket. It is still pretty rough and no where nice and neat as this one being done over here, but I am proud of it all the same.



One of the reason why I was so determined to learn to crochet is that my Grandma can crotchet really well and has made all her grandchildren layettes when they were born, including on for my Cabbage Patch doll she brought me when I was little. I knew that she had made a receiving blanket for my SIL when they had there first child, however as she is now 96 and almost blind from Macular Degeneration it had not even entered my mind that I would be lucky enough to receive one for my new baby. So when she visited me in hospital after having Sebastian and presented me with this lovely crocheted blanket, I was extremely surprised.



Turns out that as soon as she realised that she was having problems crocheting due to arthistis and eye sight problem she started the blanket for me to put away until it was needed. She started it 5 years before I had Sebastian, before Andrew and I were even married. She wasn't able to finish it my Mum had to do some it of which is why some of the boarder is a nice fine lace pattern and some is quite plain (My mum can't crotchet as well as my grandma) but I can definitely say that it is treasured item that one day I will be able to pass down to my grandchildren.

Dear Jane update

Well it has been a long time since I did an update of my Dear Jane progress, mainly because until recently there has not been an major progress.

Thanks to a certain Flickr group I have finally completed 100 centre blocks. I have also changed to a new progress chart. Was a bit of pain to copy all my blocks onto but I think it was well worth the effort.

I have only put down that I have completed one triangle, when in fact I have finished two and started two more, I just can't find the first one I finished. Really need to clean up my sewing room. It has to be somewhere.

Birds in the Air Cot Quilt

My good friends M & J, welcomed a new little girl into the world on Easter Monday, and I have finally got a chance to start working on her cot quilt.

I am using this pattern from the first Elm Creek quilt pattern book



Here is my progress so far,



It is all cut out and all the 1/2 sq triangles are sewn together, just need to assemble the blocks, 1 of each color done, just 15 (45 in total) more to go. The material in the top left hand corner is the boarder print and the orange Ric-rac print is for the binding.

I am actually presently surprised how quickly this quilt is coming together. It has been a while since I have done a solely pieced quilt.

Doll Quilt Class

I have now had 4 months of my Doll Quilt class which I talked about back here, so I thought I should show off what I have achieved so far.

This is the quilt top from the first month, I just need to hand quilt some of the 9 patch blocs, not really my choice of colours but I liked how easy is was to put together



This is the top from the second month, also needing to be quilted. I love this quilt, I had always shied away from y seams but actually enjoyed them in this quit. The colors are a bit washed out do to taking photo at night



Month 2 is still very much a WIP, and I was not able to attend Month 4 class so I am still to start that one. It is crazy patchwork done on foundation papers, which after completed the wall hanging for the EB Newbie Quilters swap I am not in any rush to do foundation piecing any time soon

Wallhanging Swap

Some of my lovely friends at EB Newbie Quilter recently partook in a wall hanging swap.

There was

Esther
Car
Kayscha
Dani
and of course me.

I made the following for Esther



and received the following package from Car



Which contained the absolutely amazing wall hanging. Aren't I a very very lucky girl

Block of the Month quilt top completed

Still technically a Work in Progress as is still need to be quilted and binding done. I am calling it finished for now, it is to be professionaly quilted anyway, not game enough to try and quilt something this size myself.


While I am very please with it I am also very pleased to see the last of it. Now I can start the other 100 projects that I have on my list.

Reading Update

Sorry all who care :)

I have been very slack in my reading task in two ways, firstly I have only read 6 books, and secondly I have given you zero feedback on any of them.

Well here is a very brief overview of what I read so far

1. The Long Hot Summer, this is autobiographically, 2nd or 3rd book in a series, written by an retired ABC gardening journalist that spends 1/2 her time in France. 2nd (or 3rd) time I have read this one, so obviously I like it

2. The Quilters Kitchen, not really a true novel, more like a recipe book with stories entwined, if you are a fan of the Elm creek books, (I am a huge fan) then you will like this one.

3. Always and Forever - I have heaps of Cathy Kelly Books, decided to reread this one after Ruth mentioned that she had read it as one of her 50 :p

4. Black Notice - Also a fan of the Kaye Scarpette series, decided to reread this one because truth be told I needed a new book and didn't have time to go to the library

5. The Island - Loved, loved this book, of course it brought back all the lovely memories of our honeymoon in Hawaii, but I enjoy reading Di Morrisey books, I find myself picturing her stories and hear the conversations. Was not let down with this her newest book.

6. If you were mine - Humm, my Mum bought me this as a birthday present after she read a really good write up about it, but I was not that happy, good storey just didn't get into it or find myself as engrossed in it as I normally do.

Currently reading - Here to Maternity, Sinead Moriarty. A light feel good novel that follows a young mum who after years of trying to fall pregnant decided to adopt a little boy from Russia only to discover of the day before they are flying out to collect him that she is pregnant. Also one from my stash that I have read many many times.

ETA - This is on bit at the end, involving a grey elephant that brings me to tears everytime

Where two from here, well I took myself off to the local library this week and stocked up for Easter reading, 5 books so we will see how we go, and I am about to put in a order for two of the Emilie Richards Shenandoah Album books, (already own two) and the newest Elm Creek book.